Steam engine operation efficiency device



May 19, 1931.

'R. F. KNIGHT STEAM ENGINE OPERATION EFFICIENCY DEVICE Filed May 1 1928 IN V EN TOR.

Patented May 19, 1931" RONALD FRANK KNIGHT, or RAMSEY, NEW JERSEY STEAM ENGINE .orn 'm'rron Lemma DEVICE .Application filed May 1,

This invention relates to reciprocating steam engines equipped with valve-gear which permits variation of cut-ofli'atthe willof the operator, and has-for its object the provision of an audible indicating device, by following the dictatesof which, the operator is enabled to so adjust the cut-off of the engine that the same willhbe Worked to the best advantage of'power and economy for any and all speeds within its range, or any predetermined part thereof. This device may be applied to such engines in any service, as stationary, marine, or locomotive. The audible signal may be operated by any. of various means, as steam, electricity, mechanical, compres'sedair &c. The said audible signal may be-arranged to sound when the relation of speed to cut-01f is not correct within pre-determined limits. This invention is based on the well known principle that any engine can exert maximum power at any particular speed (R. P. M.) of the crank-shaft, only when the gear :is set to efiectcut-off at oneparticular place of the piston stroke, that ifsteam is cut off either earlier or later than at that particular place,

the power outputwill be less than maxi-;

mum.

Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevational view partly'sectional and partly diagrammatic of a device constructed according to this invention, Fig.'2]is a left hand, and Fig. 3 is a right hand view of Fig. 1,. but each, for the sake of clearness,

controlled mechanism of any size or kind,-and designated here broadly by 1928. Serial .No. 274,328.

showing only a few parts. Fig. 4' is a sectional view in more and enlarged detail, of the end of lever 11. Fig.5 shows an alternative. f g I Referring now more particularly to the drawings, enclosed in a suitable housing as 1 attached to any desired part of the locomotime, as: to the framefmember 2, isa speed desired type,

the Figure 3, itsfunction being to control one side of an electric contact-breaker in accord with ,the R. P. M. of the crankshaft. This speed controlled mechanism 3 is rotated by connection in any suitable manner to an axle or wheel of the engine," or other part wh-i'ch'revolves in fixed proportion to the crankshaft, the drawings showing it connected by helical. gears 4 and flexible drive 5 to the friction wheel 6, which is carried by v. yoke 7' pivotedat the fixed point 8, and

pressed against the rim of the wheel 9 by the spring 10. Engaging with and operated by said speed controlled mechanism 3. is lever 1 1, free"to swing by the action of said Inechanism3, on fixed point 12. Carried by V lever 11, but insulated therefrom, and pref? erably adjustable therein, are two'contact pieces 18 and 14, which latter are electricallyconnected, preferably throughswitches 115 and 16, one each,'to' one side of two elec- 'trically operated sounding devices, located in ornear the engine cab, of diflerent tone,

as indicated by the electric bells l7 and 18 and their d-ifiering size- The other terminals ofthe bells 17 and 18 are connected to a cut-out switch 19 preferably controlled by the throttle operating ape paratus, indicateddiagrammatically by the throttlelever 20, in such manner that the deviceis cut outwhen the throttle is closed andcut iniwhen the-throttle is opened as indicated in Fig. 1 and .cut-fout 19 is connected to a source of electrical energy represented at .PAIE F CE i m i 21, the other side of which is grounded as seen.

Also pivoted to fixed pin 12, and free to swing thereon is another lever 22, the end of which, terminating preferably with a roller, is held to engagement, by spring 23, with the working face of a cam as 25. On this lever 22 is formed a lug'24 which projects across lever 11 between the contact pieces 13 and 14, and forming or constituting the other contact piece of the two electric circuits, as lever 22 is grounded as indicated, or may be directly connected with generator 21. It can now be readily seen that, the concerned switches being closed, if lever 22 be swung to the right, lug 24 would touch contact 14, completing the circuit and ringing bell 18, while if permitted to move to the left, lug 24 would touch contact 13, completing the other circuit and so cause bell 17 to sound instead; and conversely, if lever 22 is held stationary and lever 11 moved upwards, contact 14 would touch lug 24 ringing bell 18, and if moved downwards, contact 13 would likewise complete the circuit which sounds bell 17 in the position shown in the drawing both circuits are broken and neither bell can sound; in short, when relative movement takes place between levers 11 and 22 beyond the limits provided by the respective adjustments of contact pieces 13 and 14, one or the other of the bells rings. Cam 25, the working face of which controls the position of lever 22, is secured to grooved pulley 26, by means of nut 27, locating pin 37 determining the correct relative position of cam and pulley, which, as a unit, are free to pivot around the fixed pin 28, in one direction by the action of cable 30, and in the other direction by means of the spring 31 when permitted by the slackening of cable 30. One end of said cable 30 is securely attached, see 29, to pulley 26, and the other is likewise securely attached to any convenient part of the cutoff controlling mechanism, such as to the valve-gear tum bling shaft lever 32, through the means of the grooved quadrant 33 fastened to said lever 32 as seen, thecable being secured at 34.

This lever 32 is connected to the reach-rod,

not shown, in the usual way, and is swung to the right or left around the centre 35 to reverse the engine or vary the cut-off at the will of the engineman in the usual manner. It will now be clear that the position of lever 22 is entirely within the control of the en-. gineman by means of the cut-off controlling mechanism.

In the drawings, lever 32 is shown in full gear position for one direction of the loco- 'motive, and by moving said lever so that its centre line coincides with line 33, full gear position for running in the opposite direction will be attained, the vertical line indicating mid-gear position.

The principle underlying this invention,

, keeping able limits, either higher or lower which will, by the foregoing, now be readily recognized, centres around an electric circuit which carries a sounding device and a movable contact-breaker, one terminal or point of which is in the control of and operated by the cut-off controlling means, and the other is in the control of apparatus operated by the speed of the engine.

Cam 25 is so constructed and located on the pulley 26 that, when lever 32 is in the position shown, the lever 22 is held by the cam in its extreme right position; moving said lever 32 to position 36, rotates cam 25 to the right (clockwise) bringing the other high spot on the camse en across the openinginto line with the contact end of lever 22, and again holding it in the extreme right position. Placing lever 32 in its central position brings the lowest point of cam 25 into line with said contact end of lever 22, and thus permits spring 23 to move said lever 22 to its extreme left position. The intervening portions of the working face of the cam 25 are shaped in accord with the desired combination of cut-off and engine speed, using data obtained, preferably, from dynamoineter tests, and a curve showing angular movement of lever 11 vs. speed, and on completion are such that, if speed w causes lever 11 to swing through y degrees, then, when lever 32 is placed in position to give the corresponding correct cut-off, cam 25 will permit lever 22 to move y degrees also, thus lug 24 from contact with either 13 or 14; this holds true for the entire speed range. From the foregoing it will be readily understood that, when in operation, so long as lever 32 is placed in the correct position for the speed of the engine, no bell will sound; and conversely, with lever 32 in any position, a change of speed beyond the allow- (determined by the adjustment of contacts 13 and will cause either 13 or 14 to touch lug 24 so ringing bell 17 or 18 respectively, thus indicating to the engineman that he is to move lever 32 to get the lug out of contact and so stop the bell, and the direction in which he must do so is indicated by the high or low tone of the alarm, according to which bell is rung, preferably high tone for shortening the cut-off and low tone for lengthening same. I

It will also be clearly seen, that not only doesthis device, as described above, enable the engineman to manipulate the cut-off controlling means to the utmost advantage at all times, but it also permits him to do so without taking his eyes from the road and signals ahead.

The operation of this device, when constructed as described above, can be well understood by here describing an imaginary run on a locomotive so equipped. On arrival at the roundhouse to take out the engine, the

positions shown, except that lei er 32 will, be

' in its central positiomand consequently cam 25 will be presenting i-tslowersidetowards lever 22, and this iever22 will be, byrinfiuonce of its spring 23, in its extreme left posi tion touching the cam lug24i will be pressing against cont ct 13 and, consequently, iflever 11 were made solid ritwould be compelledgto compress the-spring-or lift the weights as "the case may befof mechanism .8, therebysetting up a strainin the levers 11 and 22,10. prevent which, lever 11 may bemadein two parts, as seen in Fig. 4, to permit flexnre, vheneve-r speed controlled mechanism 3 and cam 25 are not in correspondin'g working positions; the spring-actuated plunger seen in Fig. ,4 presses against the flat base of the outer section of lever 11 and holds it in the position shown under nornial o'peratingconditions, and in other circumstancespermits said outer section to pivot in either direction a g piece of road has been reached and along around pin '38, slightly depressing the plunger aforesaid, which, on the deflecting force being removed, will return said outer section to the normalpositionseen in the drawings. Nobells will be'ringingbecause switches 15, 16 and 19wi'll be o-pen,-and?turlie-generator 21, iwhere used', may not "be working. He is ready'to move and goes backward and forward as necessary toset back on to his train, all in an absolutely nor-' mal manner, there being ionoise from the bells as switch 15 and 16 "are still open 1although 19 has been alternately opened and closed as the throttle was worked Ready to start, he puts the cut-off controlling means'in full gear'position as seen in' 'Figfl and closes switches 15 and 16', then opens the throttle, closing switch 19; still no ring as lug 24 is clear of both l3'and 14.- The engine moves;andgmecha nism. 8 commenses tooperate. -Havi-ng a train 'of maximiim'tonnagre, the throttle 'islp'ullediwide open and the engineman-takeshisaccustomed p I ,thus perm t-ting thethrottle to be used wlthl place, with head probablyoutlsth'e+window wa-tchin the road ahead andsi mals; "The train gathering speed, mechanism 3*-com- .ienc-es to lift lever 11, and, .onreaching the speed-limit for full gearoperationfcontact 1A touches lug 24 ringing bell 18,- which should beone of distinct yet pleasing sound, and preferably higher in tone than the other,

indicating that he should link up as itris termed, or shorten the cut-oil. WVlthOdttitkmg his eyes from the road, the. engineman shortensthe cut oi'l' in response to ythe' bell signal, a notch ,-:at1a time, until the; r nging ceases, and the engine still exerts maximum 1 effort; What has happened isthat by shortening-the cut-oil, the cam 25 has'lbeen' slight-f ly rotated, presentin a lower; part toward lever 22 which, actuatedyby spring been moved 'to'the left accordingly, and so b o en th on act of lug'2e w hli y' With speed increasing, lever ll'is further lifted *andagam 14 CQIlIlBCtSWltlI 24, again sounding 18,;a warningwhich is again answered by the ngineman shortening" the cut-off.

further until ringing again ceases, by the correspondingfurther rotation of cam 25' and movement 01"- lever 22. This series "con- I crease; Runni'ng now on to an up grade, the spleed co'mmences to drop, and lever 11,

tolniove downward; upon reaching the low 1 limit iorthatcut-oll, contact piece 13 touches lug 24 and bell. "17 now sounds, which, being or slower tonethan 18, indicates that the,

engineman should drop her down a little, or lengthenthe cut-ofhwhich'he accordingly does, still with his eyes on theroad, until the ringing'stops, and so on until speed ceases to drop. 'Assume now that a level which the rengine could haul the train at a speed higher thanis desired; attaining the desired 'speedlimit and capable of running fastencontact 14; again connects with lug 24 sounding 18 merely linking up untilthe bell 'ceasedweuld only increase the speed beydnd the desired limit, so the engineman takes one or" two possible courses; either he closes the throttle a little until the engine is getting only enough to maintain that speed, or, prefr erably, he cuts out bell17 by opening switch 15, and links up until the desired speed is just maintained, thus working with maXi-- inum economy. Unfavorable grade again causing the speed to drop, switch 15 is closed again and normal operation again prevails, Onlreaching a stopping place or a down gradewheresteam is not required, the throttle is closed, openingswitch 19, and the reverse: lever can be put in any position; with out any sound from 'thebells. For moving about,theyard,,15 and16fmay be opened,

; outsounding thebells. V

on Modern. locomotives seldom do any serious,

work when runningbackwards, indeed, data useful for, constructing the working face of the cam for backward running is often not available, consequently it may be desired in many cases to arrange for this device to indicatewhen running forward only; in such 7 cases the onlychange necessary from the forego ngwlll be to construct cam 25 with that part coming opposite lever 22 whenrunning backward, preferably with the same 7 radius as at thennd-gear position, as seen. at the lower part of Fig.5, Another modification,

ofthis device without departing from the nature thereof, would be to construct it with only oneelectric circuit and bell: either one s may be retained, preferably, that which'indicates thecut-Gif-istoo long, When one'cirther description here.

cuit only is employed, levers l1 and 22 may be formed as one unit, having no relative movement, seen in bellcrank 1122 in Fig. 5, the single contact piece being located at the end of the unit and forming the part which touches the cam, the circuit breaker thus con sisting of the said contact piece and the cam, as shown. \Vhcn operating the device thus modified, the bell will ring when speed increases as before explained; but when speed is decreasing no bell will sound, and the engineman must keep lengthening the cut-off to Just clear of the ringing position, to obtain maximum power. It will be recognized that, with this arrangement, the contact piece will be just clear of the cam in normal running position, also that the unit 1122 being entirely in the control of the speed controlled mechanism 3 will have no use for spring which accordingly is dispensed with. primary object of this invention is, as before stated, to provide means to enable the engine operator to correctly manipulate the cut-off without having to use his eyes, it is obvious that the sound principle described within may, without departing from the nature of this invention, be employed in combination with a sight indicator, after the manner of Pullman car berth, steamship state room or hotel room sound-sight indicators, devices too well known to require illustration or tur- Moreover, friction wheel 6 may, if desired, be released from con tact with wheel 9 when not required, by the provision of any suitable means, such as shown dotted in Fig. 1 where, upon admitting air or other pressure medium to the cylinder above the piston, the latter exerts force on the extension of yoke 7, causing pivoting on 8, thus raising wheel 6.

Furthermore, it is to be understood, while I have herein shown and described preferred embodiments of this invention, the same is nevertheless susceptible of many minor modifications in the form, proportion, and relative arrangement of the several parts; and I accordingly reserve the privilege of adapting all such legitimate changes as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim is 1- 1. A locomotive, in combination with a device which can be cut in and cut out by manipulation of the engine throttle, and which, when predetermined relation exists between the speed of the engine and the position of the cut-off controlling means, cooperates with the operators sense of hearing to apprise him of that fact.

2. On a locomotive, the combination with the cut-off controlling means and a revolving member of said locomotive, of sound producing means, and means co-operating with said cut-oft controlling means revolving member and sound producing means, to, when in op- Altho the 4- I I r 1,805,685

eration, create sound when the speed of the engine is greater than predetermined limits allow for the then position of the said cut-ofl controlling means, audibly indicate in a distinctly diflerent manner when the speed of the engine is less than pre-determined limits allow for the same position of the said cut-off controlling means and maintaining silence when the speed is within said pie-determined limits.

ent of and additional to said circuit-breaking means, and means, co-operating with said circuit-breaking means, with the cut-off controlling means of the locomotive and with a revolving member of said locomotive, whereby the control of said circuit-breaking means is vested jointly in the said cut-ofi controlling means and revolving member by virtue of its speed, the whole co-acting to audibly indicate when pre-determined relation exists between the speed of said revolving member and the position of said cut-off controlling means.

5. A structure as specified in claim 4 in which the said controlling means for the passage of electric energy, shall include means for cutting the device into and out of action by manipulation of the engine throttle.

6. A structure as specified in claim 4 in which the positive and the negative elements of said electric circuit-breaking means are movable independently.

7. A structure as specified in'claim 4 in which the positive and the negative elements of said electric circuit-breaking means are movable independently, means co-operating with one of such elements and with said cutoff controlling means whereby said element is positioned by manipulation of said cut-ofi controlling means, and means co-operating with the other such. element and with said revolving member whereby the position of said other element is determined by, and varies with, the speed of said revolving member.

8. A structure as specified in claim 4 in which the positive and the negative elements of said electric circuit-breaking means are movable independently, a suitably formed cam which functions to control the position of one of said elements, and means co-operating with said cam and with said cut-ofi' controlling means,-whereby the functions'of said cam are controlled by the said cut-off controlling means.

9. A structure as specified in claim A in which the positive and .the negative elements of said electric circuit-breaking means are movable, independently, a suitably formed cam which functions to control the position said cut-off controlling means.

10. A structure as specified in claim at in which the positive and the negative elements of said electric circuit-breaking means are independently movable, a suitably formed cam which functions to control. the position of one ofsaid elements, a wheel to whichsaid cam is attached, afiexible member one end i of which is connectedto a suitable member of the cut-off" controlling means,and the other is wrapped around said wheeland then cuit-breaker to position said other element in,

attached to it, where-by movement of said suitablemember revolves saidwheel in one directionby pulling with said flexible mem-- her, and in the other direction by permitting action by a spring operatively connected with saidwheel for that purpose;

11. A structure as specified in claim 4 in which the positive and the negative elements of the said electriccircuit-breakingmeans are independently movable, means for positioning one of said elements by manipulation of the cut-0E controlling means, a suitable mechanism such as used for governors and speedometers whichfunctions by virtue of its speed, means co-operating with such mechanism and with the other element of said ciraccord with the speed of said mechanism, and means co-operating with said mechanism and with said revolving member to enable said revolving member to drive said mechanism in accord with the speed of saidrevolvin'gf member. d 7

12. A structure as specified incla'im 4 in which the positive and the negative elements of said electric circuit-breaking means are movable independently, means for positioning one of said elements bymanipulation of the cut-off controlling means, a suitable mechanism employed to position the other element of said circuit-breaking means, flexible driving means operatively connected with said mechanisn'i and with a circular 7 member engaging with said revolving member.

said electric circuit-breaking means are movable independently, means for positionlng one of said elements by manipulation of thecut-oif controlling means, a suitable mechanism einployed to position the other element of said circuit-breaking means, flexible driving means Zoperatively connected with said mechanism and with a properly proportioned-friction disc carried in a' sultable frame-pivoted to a fixed part of the engine and held incontact with a wheel of the loco- A motive by suitable force exerting means.

143' A structureas specified in claim 4 in wh'iclrthe positive and the negative elements of said cir'c ebrealiing meansare independently movable, means for positioning one of i said elements by the manipulation of the cutoff controlling means, a suitable mechanism employed to position the other element of said circuit breaking means, driving means operatively connecting said mechanism with said revolving member, and means for cutting in and cutting out the operation of said mechanism by said revolving member.

15. A locomotive, in combination with a devicewhich, when the cut-off is not correct within predetermined limits for the then speed of the engine, functions to so inform the operator, and which ceases to so function 3 when the :cut-ofi is changed correctly and remains correct; 7 V

16. A locomotive or other fluid pressure engine, in combination with a device which, when predetermined relation exists between the speed of the engine and the position of the cut-off controlling means, functions to inform the operator of that fact, and which ceases to sofunction when such predetermined relation does not exist.

'17-. On a locomotive, the combination with the cut-off controlling means and a revolving member of said locomotive, of means intermediate and co-operating with said cut-ofi controlling means and with 321d revolving member which when redetermined relation exists between the speed of the engine and the position of the said cut-off controlling means, co-operates with the operators sense ofvhearing 1to;apprise him of that fact, and which ceases toso inform him when said predetermined relation does 'not exist.

s 18. A structure as specified in claim 16, whereinsaid device canbe cut in and cut out at thew/ill ofthe operator.

- 19. Aystructure as specified in claim 16,

, wherein said device includes operative inter-- connecting means between said cut-off controlling "means, a revolving member of the engine "and suitable sound producing means.-

20. A' locomotive, in combination with a device which, when the, speed of the engine is greater than predetermined limits allow 7 7 for the then. position of the cut-off control- 13. A structure as specified in claim 4; in which the positive and negative elements'of lingmeans, functions to so inform the operator, and which fails to so function when the speed is within predetermined limits.

the then position of the cut-01f controlling means, functions to, so inform the operator,

and which fails to so function when the speed is within predetermined limits.

22. A locomotive, in combination with a. device partly electrical and partly mechanical in nature which, when predetermined relation exists between the speed of the engine and the position of the cut-off controlling means, functions to so inform the operator, and which ceases to so function when such predetermined relation does not exist.

, RONALD FRANK KNIGHT. 

